Biodegradable Packaging for Organic Cereals

Leading British cereal company, Jordans Cereals, is about to swap their traditional plastic packaging for a more environmentally friendly bio-degradable bag.

The new bio-degradable bags, comprising of one layer of NatureFlex cellophane and one layer of Mater-Bi® Greensack film, will significantly reduce Jordans Cereals’ environmental impact by breaking down in compost after just 6 to 12 weeks. The biodegradable bags will initially be used to pack Jordans Cereals’ organic cereals, and may be extended later to the company’s entire product range.

Convex Plastics Managing Director, Owen Embling, says the adoption of the new packaging by Jordans Cereals is just one example of a smart marketing application for bio-degradable bags.

Owen says, “Packaging made from renewable resources is particularly ideal for organic products as it keeps the packaged goods as chemical free as possible and meets the consumer demand for natural renewable products. The combination of NatureFlex and Greensack film also provides a good functional packaging option for cereals.”

Convex Plastics manufacture both NatureFlex cellophane products and Mater-Bi® Greensack film, and have a lot of experience working with them.

Both films behave exactly like organic waste when disposed but have different film characteristics. Greensack film, made from cornstarch, is opaque and has similar strength qualities to Polyethylene. NatureFlex, on the other hand, is made from cellulose derived from carefully managed wood plantations and is stiff and clear with good 'dead fold' characteristics.

Owen says, “The thing to remember with bio-degradable packaging options is that none of them are magic. They can’t fully replace traditional plastics and it can take some time to fully test the bio-degradable films to make sure they deliver the right properties for any specific application. The combination of Greensack film and NatureFlex has been shown to work for cereals but may need some trialing for other products.”

“At Convex Plastics we are willing to work with clients to develop bio-degradable films that meet their performance and price point requirements as closely as possible. A lot of these film resins are new and we can only really find out how they perform for certain applications by trialing them.”

Companies and organisations considering using bio-degradable packaging are welcome to contact Convex to discuss the benefits and limitations of the various available bio-degradable films.